One of the Green Engine forests in Asturias obtains the first Verra-certified in the Iberian Peninsula

Grupo Sylvestris and the Repsol Foundation, promoters of the Green Engine project, have achieved a historic milestone by obtaining the first Verra certification in the Iberian Peninsula for one of their forests in Asturias, with the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

The certificate corresponds to an 87 hectare forest located in Grandas de Salime (Asturias). The reforestation work carried out by within the Green Engine project has restored this ecosystem, which was affected by several fires in 2017, by planting native tree species, which will contribute to the average capture of more than 43,000 tons of CO₂ in 50 years, during which time the Repsol Foundation and Grupo Sylvestris have committed to supporting the management and maintenance of this forest. 

This initiative not only contributes to mitigating climate change, but also promotes biodiversity and combats soil erosion, supporting local and inclusive employment and revitalizing the rural environment.

Verra is a leading global organization for the certification of climate and sustainability solutions, known for its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), the most widely used carbon crediting certification system in the would. This standard guarantees that absorption and compensation projects comply with strict validation and verification criteria for climate change mitigation, providing social and economic value for the communities where they are developed.

This certificate reflects the comprehensive commitment to environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the Green Engine reforestation project, led by Grupo Sylvestris and the Repsol Foundation.

A forest with social and economic impact

The project, certified by Verra, is part of the work of Green Engine in Grandas de Salime, where a total of 390 have already been reforested and more than 61 local employment opportunities have been created, 19 of them for people in vulnerable situations, in collaboration with the Grandas de Salime Town Council and social organizations in the area. These jobs have not only provided a source of income, but also new long-term opportunities for workers and their families, improving the quality of life for the area's inhabitants.

In addition, the Repsol Foundation and Grupo Sylvestris have developed training programs in cross-cutting, digital, and rural entrepreneurship skills, in which 163 people from the area have participated. Many participants have highlighted the usefulness of the workshops to access job offers that were previously unattainable and to present business ideas related to the forestry sector. 

Furthermore, in all Green Engine reforestations, proximity criteria are prioritized in the selection of suppliers and services, strengthening the local economy. 

A pioneering achievement in sustainability

Green Engine is a pioneering reforestation project that is committed to the recovery of biodiversity in degraded environments for carbon absorption, with the distinctive characteristic of seeking a positive social and economic impact in the areas where it operates.

This certification from Verra underlines Green Engine’s role as a European leader in nature-based solutions, opening up new opportunities to develop international projects that meet the highest standards of decarbonization and sustainability.

This forest not only represents the first Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) project developed in Spain and Portugal registered under the VCS Verra standard, but also the first of any type of Verra promoted in the entire peninsula.

ARR projects focus on reforestation or restoration of degraded ecosystems, promoting the recovery of vegetation cover and biodiversity while absorbing CO₂.

The Verra certification is one of the most demanding and has entailed an analysis lasting over two years, in which professionals from Grupo Sylvestris and the Repsol Foundation have participated, with the support of the consulting firms, Global Factor, Climit, and Carbosur. 

Javier Torres, director of Repsol Social Impact (Repsol Foundation), highlights the recognition of the exhaustive work carried out within the framework of the Green Engine project, seeking to generate a triple transformative effect on the environment, society, and the economy, with the aim of advancing an energy transition that leaves no one behind. 

Francisco Martinez, co-founder and Technical Director of Grupo Sylvestris, highlights that if there is something that makes us proud of this project, it is that in addition to being a co-proponent, Grupo Sylvestris is its own developer: that is, we don't limit ourselves to being an aggregator of initiatives developed by third parties. Instead, we manage our own financing or that of our clients to turn it into a real positive impact on the ground.

Iker Larrea, partner and head of Markets at Global Factor, highlight that this represents a huge opportunity for sustainable projects in Spain, both in forestry and in sectors such as transport and energy.